Project Presentation

LIFE+ SEGURA RIVERLINK is a project coordinated by the Confederación Hidrográfica del Segura (Segura Hydrographic Federation) and co-funded by the European Union LIFE+ Programme that aims to resolve the environmental problems that exist in the Segura River basin.

Many of the region's richest nature reserves are located along the Segura River, the backbone of Murcia. However, the significant weather contrasts in the basin, together with the different uses it has been given (farming, energy production, etc.), have made it one of the most regulated rivers in Europe due to the many obstacles built along the length of it.

These obstacles, such as dams and weirs, break up the natural flow of the water and constitute physical barriers to the natural movement of fish (migration, dispersal and colonisation) upstream and downstream, resulting in serious environmental problems and worsening the ecological status of the river.

LIFE+ SEGURA RIVERLINK is a demonstration project that will be carried out on sections of the Segura and Moratalla rivers in the Region of Murcia, and which includes some areas corresponding to the Natura 2000 Network. The project will aim to improve and strengthen connectivity between natural ecosystems, working on returning the river as close as possible to its natural state. Techniques will be used to clear and bypass these structures and open up the waterway, including demolishing a disused dam and constructing fish ladders. All the activities will be accompanied by the ecological restoration of the riverbanks.

A full monitoring programme will also be established to monitor biological, physico-chemical and hydromorphological indicators that will enable us to test the effectiveness of our actions and assess the results. The actions can then be applied to the rest of the basin and to other rivers with similar problems.

A Land Stewardship Network will also be set up for adjacent lands to ensure sustainability, and volunteer and environmental education programmes will be created to help raise awareness of the importance of preserving our river ecosystems and to encourage active participation.